Nigeria is a federal constitutional republic located in West Africa.
It shares land borders with the Republic of Benin in the west, Chad and Cameroon in the east, and Niger in the north.
Its south coast is formed by the Gulf of Guinea, in the Atlantic Ocean.
Area: 923,768 sq km
Population: 151 million (World Bank, 2009)
Nigeria is:
- the most populous country in Africa
- the seventh most populous country in the world
Capital City: Abuja (6 million)
Other Major Cities: Lagos, Ibadan, Kano and at least 7 other cities with a population of over 1 million
Ethnic groups: The three largest and most influential ethnic groups in Nigeria are the Hausa, Igbo and Yoruba.
Official language: English, but Hausa, Yoruba, Igbo are also used in the National Assembly.
Religion: Muslim, Christian and traditional
Currency: Naira (NGN)
Economy: Nigeria is the 12th largest producer of petroleum in the world and the 8th largest exporter, and has the 10th largest proven reserves.
Nigeria's Delta region, home of the large oil industry, experiences serious oil spills and other environmental problems.
2011 presidential vote: Nigeria's Goodluck Jonathan has been declared winner of presidential 2011 elections in a landmark April vote that exposed regional tensions and led to deadly rioting in the mainly Muslim north.
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